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Today I Am Muslim Too March in Times Square, NYC

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I recently joined a day of solidarity in support of equality and tolerance, supporting American Muslims. There is no greater time than now to stand up for our Muslim brothers and sisters who are under increasing threat and pressure. i joined Russell Simmons, Imam Shamsi Ali, Rabbi Marc Schneier, Daisy Khan, Linda Sarsour and many other leaders from the community for this powerful event.

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I asked “Johnathan” why he thought Trump had to go and he told me that Donald Trump has set a “bad Precedent for this country already and it’s time for him to hit the road”. I asked Johnathan which precedence and he listed; “The Precedence are racism, bigotry, issues with the press that are growing day by day with him”.
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Travis Morales of #RefuseFasicsm.org had a table at the event handing out fliers in many different languages to say NO to a Fascist system. Travis told me that RefuseFascism is about people from all walks of life coming together to say “NO in the name of humanity, we refuse to accept a fascist America. This Trump?Pence regime must be driven from power. The Trump?Pence regime is illegitimate, it’s illegitimate because it’s fascist and it must not be allowed to hold power. We already see what they’re doing, mass deportations, a Muslim ban, moving to overturn Roe vs Wade, legalizing torture. They’re moving to remake how this country is ruled and held together. Shredding traditional Democratic rights people have in this country. An open dictatorship based upon terror, violence, to silence the press, to silence and jail and murder political opponents. This is Fascism, This is America’s Hitler”.

The event itself:

MCs: Dean Obeidallah & Judy Gold

12:00 – 12:30: Participants arrival (handled by Mohamed Razvi of COPO)

Opening session: Dean & Judy

12:30 – 12:35: Welcoming remarks by MCs

12:35 – 12:40: National Anthem (lead by Kashish Shamsi)

12:40 – 12: 46: Interfaith prayers (2 minutes each).

  • Rabbi Simkha Weintraub (The Jewish Board, Rabbinic Director)
  • Pastor Owen Williams (St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, Queens)
  • Imam Rafeek Mohamed (Founder / Principal, Al-Ihsan Academy)

Conveners (3 minutes each):

  • Russell Simmons (Chairman, Foundation for Ethnic Understanding)
  • Rabbi Marc Schneier (President, Foundation for Ethnic Understanding)
  • Imam Shamsi Ali (Spiritual Leader, Jamaica Muslim Center & President, Nusantara Foundation)

Speakers (cont.): each 2 minutes:

  1. Mr. Sanford Rubenstein (Civil Rights Attorney)
  2. Doug Hostetter (UN Director, Mennonite Central Committee)
  3. Dr. Henry Goldschmit (Program Director, Interfaith Center of New York)
  4. Rabbi Allison Tick Brill (Congregation E-manuel of the City of New York)
  5. Walter Sebastian Adler (Director of Strategic Planning, General Coordinating Committee)
  6. Minister John Williams (North Conference of Seventh Day Adventist Chruch)
  7. Simran Jeet Singh (Leader, Sikh Community)

Entertainment session II: 5 minutes

  • Prince Rumi

Speakers (cont.): each 2 minutes:

  1. Reza Fakhari (Amnesty International US Board of Directors)
  2. Rev. Peter Heltzel, Ph.D (Director, Micah Institute at NY Theological Seminary)
  3. Reza Fakhari (Amnesty International US Board of Directors)
  4. Rev. Dr. Stephen Holton (Episcopalian Church)
  5. Joyce Dubinsky (CEO/ Vice President, Tanenbaum Center)
  6. Dr. Mohamed Nurhussein (Chairman, United African Congress)
  7. Aldo Rafael Perez (Exe. Director of Muslim & Immigrant Coalition for Justice)

Entertainment session III: 5 minutes

  • Stephan Said

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Elected Officials: each spoke for 3 minutes:

  1. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio
  2. Assemblyman Robert Carroll
  3. NYC Councilman Ben Kallos (District 5th)
  4. NYC Councilman Rory I. Lancman (District 24th)
  5. NYC Councilman Brad Lander (District 39th)

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Speakers: each 2 minutes:

  1. Rabbi Bob Kaplan (JCRC NY)
  2. Rev. N. J. L’Heureux, Jr. (Queens Federation of Churches / Council of Churches)
  3. Sheikh Fadhel Al-Sahlani (Al-Khoei Foundation)
  4. Simon Moss (Global Citizen, Co-Founder & Global Director, Campaign
  5. Rev. Dr. TK Nakagaki (President, Buddhist Council of NY)
  6. Linda Sarsour (Director, Arab American Association New York)
  7. Steven Choi (Executive Director, NY Immigration Coalition)

Entertainment session I: 5 minutes

  • EC Salsero

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Speakers (cont.) 2 minutes each:

  1. Rev. Dr. Robert Morrison (Presbytery of New York City)
  2. Jenan Matari (Miss Muslim)
  3. Bishop Raymond Rufen-Blanchette, Clergy Campaign for Racial and Economic Justice
  4. Talat Hamdani (911 Family & Friends for Peaceful Tomorrows)
  5. Aminta Kilawan (Sandana, Coalition of Progressive Hindus)
  6. Donna Lieberman (Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union)
  7. Ismail Sayeed (NYU Muslim Community)

Entertainment session III: 5 minutes

  • Ali Kulture
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Sheikh Fadhel Al-Sahlani (Al-Khoei Foundation) Founded in 1989, by the Grand Ayatollah (Marj’a) Al-Khoei, the Foundation’s concern is to continue the charitable and educational functions historically associated with the office of the marj’aiyya, the institution of the highest-ranking Shi’i leadership. Sheikh Fadhel began by saying that one important verse written in the Quran says “The almighty order of all the human beings to apply justice and good deed. Unfortunately, we in history, for present time, a lot of us forget about this beautiful verse from al Quran”.

Speakers (cont.) each 2 minutes:

  1. Dr. Debbie Almontaser (Board President, Muslim Community Network)
  2. Daisy Khan (Executive Director & Founder, WISE)
  3. Kwaja Mizan Hassan (Community Leader/Chairman, Jamaica Muslim Center)
  4. Maryam Zakiyah (Youth Activist/American Muslim Youth)
  5. Wali Ullah (Imam, Youth Leader)
  6. Naheed Bahram (Women for Afghan Women)

Entertainment IV: closing song (see below)

  • Kashish Shamsi

Closing: (Imam Shamsi Ali & Rabbi Marc Schneier thank all volunteers/participants)

All conveners and religious leaders & speakers present to the stage to sing: 1) America the Beautiful & Stronger together.

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Rev. Dr. TK Nakagaki (President, Buddhist Council of NY) “I stand with you open handed and open hearted. The Buddha said, “Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By none hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law. Today I am Muslim too”. Then Rev. Dr. TK Nakagaki finishes with a Buddhist blessing.
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Performance artist Marni Halasa dressed as the American Muslim which reads at the bottom, “The people are greater than Fear”.
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Quote from Dr Suess
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Performance artists Elliot Crown as the Donald holding a media pass reading “I too am a Billionaire” was receiving a lot of press himself.

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Matt Hobbard, livestreamer journalist who was arrested January 20th in DC for the Presidential inauguration and charged along with 5 others with “felony rioting”. Two of the others arrested have not had their charges dropped. Matt had the charges against him dropped. Matt told me how he and the others were “kettled” while documenting protests in DC on the corner of L and 12th St. “It’s attack of free press”, Matt said. The 2 with charges still pending could face 10 years and $25,000 for being journalist.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

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